WASHINGTON — Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor tried today to defuse controversy over her remarks that a "wise Latina" could reach better conclusions than white males by saying, "I do not believe any racial, ethnic or gender group has an advantage in sound judgment."

Today was the first day the 55-year-old federal appellate judge, bidding to become the first Hispanic woman on the Supreme Court, faced questions from the Senate Judiciary Committee.

What little controversy remains often centers on her 2001 remarks about the advantages of being a Latino woman; Republicans have vowed to quiz her later today.

So Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., quickly got Sotomayor to defend herself.

"You've heard all these charges and countercharges ... here's your chance. You tell us what's going on here, judge," Leahy said.

"No words I have ever spoken nor written have received so much attention," she said, chuckling. "I was trying to inspire them to believe their life experiences would enrich the legal system, because different life experiences and backgrounds always do. I don't think there is a quarrel with that in our society."

She said she also was trying to inspire minorities to be anything they wanted.

The context of the words, however, Sotomayor acknowledged, "created a misunderstanding, and to give everyone assurances I want to state up front without doubt I do not believe any racial, ethnic or gender group has an advantage in sound judgment.

"I do believe every person has an equal opportunity to be a good and wise judge regardless of their background or life experience."